Evil Twin
by Bob1097
Summary: Randy finds himself with growing angst over Bob's death. He thought he was man enough to forgive and forget, but he is wrong. He wants revenge. He finds the perfect opportunity when Sodapop Curtis loses all his memories and becomes putty in Randy's hands.
1. Chapter 1

**This is going to be a 50 Chapter fic for SimbaNF.**

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I couldn't help the way I felt. Bob was my best friend; he was just some spoiled bully to them. I have tried to make it make since, and I almost had it when I was talking to that kid, Ponyboy, but when I'm alone it hits me again; the confusion, the hurt, the lonely, and most of all the anger. I know he would be mad at me if I just forgave the greasers and went on making friends with them. That would be like me saying he and his death meant nothing to me. I wish none of this had ever happened, and then I wouldn't feel like this inside.

Randy was sitting all alone in his new living room. The lights were on dim and he was just staring at the can of beer in his left hand. There were not words for what exactly he was feeling. All a sudden he slammed the can down on an expensive coffee table, beer splashed out onto the tabletop and rug. He shot up and swayed a little bit but did not stop. He walked so fast he was almost running down the side walk. He wasn't going any place in particular, just going, letting the dark and cool air rush in through his nose and wash over is frying brain.

There were cars zooming past and people turning dangerously in their seats to stair. Street lights got dimmer as he walked and more and more were busted, that was the first thing that made him realize he was walking north.

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**That was an introduction to the fic.**

**Hope you enjoyed it. Reviews will be appreciated.**


	2. Chapter 2

"My God Sodapop, can't you learn to throw better?" Darry said as he leaned over to pick up Soda's jacket that was laying on the floor inches from the sofa.

"We can't all be masters like you. Some of us are merely human, Superman." Soda said then slurped his chocolate milk.

"Maybe you can just learn to pick it up out of the floor? What would those people from the state say about your house keeping?"

That was normal Darry-Soda dialog. They weren't rally cross with each other, they just had different priorities. It was true that Soda was an awful housekeeper, and that Darry stressed a little too much about such things. He had relaxed some in the last few weeks though.

It was very quiet this particular night, nothing exceptional going on, and that was good thing. It was nice to have some part of normal back no matter how small it was. But maybe if it had been the real normal, from two months ago, Dallas Winston and Johnny Cade would be sitting in the living room with the three Curtis boys. They were all trying hard not to think about that.

Ponyboy had been mostly quiet since it happened, that was understandable. Right now he was just sitting at the table reading a book. It was probably one he had read before, and he was probably blocking the whole world out and trying to fall in to the world on the pages.

Soda didn't like seeing his brother like that. "I'm in the mood for ice cream. How about ya'll?" He asked looking mostly at Pony's bent head.

"Yea that'd be real nice, 'cept the freezer's as empty as it was when you said that yesterday." Darry blurted begrudgingly, not necessarily at Soda, but none the less in a very negative tone."

Soda wasn't going to be detrude though, ice cream was going to put a smile on his little brothers face and that was his one and only goal at the moment.

"Well hell, it don't take but fifty cents to fix that, and just so happens I got fifty cents." He said as he stood up, and then made for the door.

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**Thank you for reading.**


	3. Chapter 3

Randy walked and walked. Town was coming in sight. He saw a familiar young man walking towards him turn and head for the drug store. That young man reminded Randy of how unfair losing Bob was. Soda Curtis shouldn't be up running around and breathing when Bob was dead, it wasn't fair.

Before Randy knew what he was doing he was calling out, "Hey, Curtis."

Soda stopped and studied the figure walking towards him, probably he didn't recognize him. But he waited for the stranger to get closer. Randy was overcome with rage. He slugged Soda before he even stopped walking. Soda fell to the ground and his head bounced with a sinking thud. But that wasn't enough. He kicked the unconscious young man for good measure. But a boot landed at the corner of Soda's shoulder and the bone glanced the blow, directing it to soda's head. Blood gushed, at first Randy was unsure of where it was coming from, but further inspection showed the gash on Soda's temple to be the source.

Knowing the consequences of such an injury, Randy hoisted Sodas light frame up and began to half carry, half drag him back to the other side of town. Much to Randy's surprise, Soda's feet began to move with him clumsily and he mumbled indistinguishable sounds. Weather Randy was acting out of remorse or curiosity he didn't know.

"Who are you?" Soda mumbled after ten minutes of being dragged.

Curiosity. Randy didn't answer and kept towing the other boy to his house. He maneuvered him up the steps, through the front door and on to the couch.

Sodapop Curtis was handsome. Everyone knew it. Randy couldn't help but appreciate that fact when he looked down on him. His golden hair matted with blood and fell down onto his forehead and cheeks, his eyes were closed in a painful expression and he moaned lightly in pain and confusion.

"Shh. It'll all be ok tomorrow, just sleep it off Bob." Randy said as he pushed the bloody hair away.

How many times had he said that when Bob had stumbled his way to Randy's after getting wasted? Now Randy had a reason to say those things again.

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**Thank you for reading. Tips and advice encouraged, Beta needed.**


	4. Chapter 4

Soda had been gone for an hour when he shouldn't have been gone for more than twenty minutes. The problem with Soda was: he had a very short attention span which was responsible for him getting distracted and drawing out simple tasks to a very unnecessary length. It was also probably the reason he failed school, and drove too fast. The normal accepted ways of doing things bored Sodapop. That was also probably why he was so happy; he didn't have time to get fed up with life before he was on looking at the next aspect of it.

Pony looked up from his book, Soda wasn't in the living room, he was vaguely aware that he had walked out the door, but he hadn't really realized. For some reason the reality made his stomach sick. In his mind's eye he saw Soda walk out the front, but then the door turned into the door in Johnny's hospital room and Soda turned into Dally. The sick feeling he had that night washed over him again and settled in his stomach and the pictures suck in his brain.

In a small somewhat panicked and shaky voice Pony voiced his concern. "Darry, where'd Soda go? How long has he been gone?"

Darry folded down the paper he was reading. He had noticed Soda's prolonged absents, but he wasn't really concerned about it. Soda probably saw a pretty girl or car and got busy using his charm. He could tell by the expression in Pony's voice he was worried, and with Pony's nerves being what they had been lately he was going to end the fear before it got worse.

"Eh, you know Soda Ponyboy, Soda's probably petting a puppy or something. He went to get ice cream and he probably can't pick. He'll be back." Then Darry gave his brother and uncharacteristic smile.

Pony tried to smile back but couldn't quite manage it to the caliber Darry had, he turned his head back down to his book and stared blankly.

"Maybe we can go find him, Darry." He said looking at his eldest brother with a helpless face.

Darry gave in easily. He could imagine the thoughts that were going on in Pony's head.

"Sure, baby."

Both young men grabbed their jackets and started got in the truck and started toward town. Darry drove slowly and they inspected every boy they past but none was their brother. They pulled into the parking lot at the drug store and they went in. They quickly scanned the occupants but Soda wasn't there.

"Hey Larry, has Sodapop been in tonight?" Darry asked walking to the counter to inquire of older man.

"Nope, ant seen him all day. He get lost?" Larry made a poor attempt at humor.

Ponyboy looked pleadingly up at Darry, like all his worst fears were coming true. The look on Darry's face faltered and instantly was replaced with an empty, forced calm and amused expression.

He slapped Ponyboy on the shoulder and said, "Don't worry, I'm sure he's around somewhere. I'll check Steve's first." Then Darry turned to the payphone.

After a brief conversation he turned and related to Ponyboy that Two-Bit had picked Steve up earlier and the two were going to the double; witch really meant that they could be anywhere.

"So don't worry huh? He's out goffin' around."

Pony took a second to proses. But he nodded reluctantly.

If the two boys had been observant of the ground when they left, they would have seen a splatter of blood belonging to Soda.


	5. Chapter 5

**Fifth chapter.**

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Randy didn't sleep all night, he watched Soda sleep. He plotted silently. Ponyboy Curtis and his loser friend took the person Randy was closest to in the whole world, and now the person Ponyboy was closest to was lying defenseless on his couch. And if the nights passing events of Soda's incoherent rambling was any indication, he had no idea who he was. An evil, genius plan was coming together in the confines of Randy's mind. He needed revenge and had the perfect opportunity. The only thing worse than killing Sodapop Curtis and leaving Pony forever lonely, was taking him away entirely. Make Soda hate the little greaser and his friends. Replace Bob with Soda. Oh yes it was an evil plan, but brilliant.

Randy knew he couldn't do it alone, he would need an accomplice. So he called her and didn't tell her anything specific but told her to come as soon as she could.

Cherry did. She showed up at his door and went inside without knocking. She gazed down at the boy sleeping on the couch but didn't make an effort to inquire. Instead she turned to face Randy and waited patiently.

"How would you like to have Bob back?"

Cherry looked down then over her shoulder and Soda, "I'm listening." She said.

Randy smiled and he knew how it must look, Cherry drew back and inch.

"He doesn't know who I am or who he is or where he is, he only knows I'm taking care of him. He doesn't know who to hate. He is a blank slate waiting for an artist."

"Amnesia" She said quietly.

She understood, she and Randy could help each other, and they could work together to meet the ends they both wanted. Randy wanted revenge, she wanted to love and be loved.

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**Thank you for reading. **


	6. Chapter 6

Pony didn't sleep and Darry was restless. Pony tried to sleep, but the bed was a lonely place. He knew that he wasn't a little kid anymore and he should be able to sleep alone, and he probably could have if he hadn't been so worried about Soda. If he had just went out with Steve and Two-Bit, he would have come back by now, he had to work in the morning. The only reason he wouldn't have come back was because he couldn't. Pony knew he didn't get too drunk, Soda didn't drink. Maybe he had gotten in a fight and was hurt somewhere; if that had happened Steve or Two-Bit would have at least called Darry. Maybe there had been a car accident and all three of them were hurt or even dead. Maybe car accidents would be responsible for taking Pony's whole family, maybe Darry would be next.

Before he realized it, Pony had worried away most of the night. He looked at the clock in the darkness, 4:00 am, he was holding the sheet close to his mouth and it was damp from sweat and he was shaking. Where was Sodapop?

Darry was worried too, he figured Soda would show up in the morning with some excuse about how he met a girl or how Steve and Two-Bit talked him into something ridiculous, God knows it didn't take much persuasion. Boy, would he have a talking to when he got home, making Ponyboy worry like this. He would be lucky if Darry didn't work his head over.

He couldn't afford to stay home waiting for his brother, so with next to no sleep and in a bad mood, Darry went to work. Pony went to school with absolutely no sleep and absentmindedly. It was a unproductive day for both of them. When they got home Steve and Two-Bit surprised them by sitting in their loving room watching TV.

"Where's Soda-dork at? He ditched his shift at work; I had to change a transmission by myself." Steve said in place of a greeting.

Darry and Ponyboy looked at each other, each worrying and unable to stop it.


	7. Chapter 7

Randy and Cherry skipped school and life as normal waiting for Soda, 'Bob', to wake up. He finally did.

"Where am I?" The golden haired boy asked groggily.

Cherry was by his side in an instant. She took his hand and gently pushed his hair off his face and offered him a glass of cool water. He drank it greatly.

"It's ok, you are safe now. Do you remember me?" She asked.

The boy searched his blank mind for any hint of who the beautiful pale faced girl was, but could find nothing. He shook his head ruefully and gazed downward, away from her intense watch.

"It's ok Bob," She said and looked questioningly at Randy standing over her; he gave her an encouraging nod so she went on. "You took a bump on the head. I'm Sherri, your girlfriend."

At this his eyes shot back up to hers. Bob was taken aback, for some reason, he didn't feel like he and Sherrie would be the two to get together at a football game and walk down the halls hand in hand. But he did feel something, a kind of warmth in his chest and stomach from looking at her. He didn't want to look away and she didn't make him.

"You are?" He asked.

Randy jumped uninvited into the conversation.

"Yea she is, I image that's got to be eatin' Curtis up. He's the one that jumped you man." Randy explained.

Cherry was looking at Randy kind of confused. She didn't exactly like what Randy was planning, but her heart was desperate for loving Bob, no matter how wrong her head said it was. And really they were doing something great for Soda Curtis, he would have better life, and real chance in the world.

"He's had the hots for Cherry for a while now. You see Bob, there are two kinds of people in this town, the ones who are going somewhere and are worth something, then there is the Greasers their trash, they call us 'Socs'. We've been into it with them forever. I can't really say who started it or why, no one remembers that. But that kid was getting fresh about Cherry a few weeks ago so I rocked his head a little. I guess that's why he came after you."

Randy explained it all in one long and complicated lie, Cherry stayed quiet and the new 'Bob' thought it all through. For some reason in side he didn't feel like the kind of guy who would look down on someone just because they were less fortunate than he was, but he couldn't argue with the gash on his temple. Oddly he didn't feel as scared as he thought he should, he just felt angry that some greasy low life was talking about Sherri. If it was a fight they wanted, it was a fight they were going to get.

"What's the guy's name?" Bob asked after running what should be done through his mind.

Randy smiled wickedly, his plan was working. He was about to drop the final piece into place for his revenge.

"Ponyboy Curtis."

That name triggered the strangest reaction in Bob's heart. He hated the name and the person it belonged to for beating him up and lusting after his girlfriend. But the hatred was mixed with a recognition he did not understand, nor did he know why the recognition tugged at his heart strings.

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**I hope you guys are loving reading this as much as I am loving developing it. Thanks for reading.**


	8. Chapter 8

Three days had passed since Soda hadn't come home and you could see the evidence etched onto Ponyboy's face; the blood shot eyes from frantic unstoppable tears, the dark rings from nights of no sleep, the growing stack of untouched homework, it all told the story of Pony's heart break. First their parents were taken much too soon, then Johnny died a hero, Dallas, young, and violent and desperate, took his own life, and now Soda was just gone. What was happening to the people he loved?

To tell the truth Soda's absents was taking a toll on everyone. The bills were suffering without his check and just today the land lord came by to collect the other half of the rent, the half Soda's check was supposed to cover. Darry was picking up extra shifts to cover the difference in income, but that was leaving Pony by himself too much.

Darry was worried too; he had even called the police. He was scared and trying not to show it so he was coming off angry all the time. This morning he had yelled at Pony, he hadn't yelled at pony like that in months, but his temper just got away from him. He couldn't remember just what the argument had been about other than it involved Soda. He remembered shouting something like, "Yea, if Soda was here you would." But that event was hidden by a memory of guilt. Maybe it had started from Ponyboy skipping his second day of school.

Two-Bit and Steve took to driving around town and checking all the places Soda would hangout but they couldn't find him either. It seemed he had just dropped off the face of the earth.

On that third day pony decided to walk to the DX and swallow his pride and ask Steve if he could ride around with them tonight when they went looking for Soda. Pony had a feeling in his gut that tonight would be different; tonight they would actually find him.


	9. Chapter 9

'Bob' had gotten all of his strength back by the third day and was getting some of his memories back, thanks to Randy and Sherri, but mostly Randy. He learned that his name was Bob Patrick Sheldon, he was 18 years old, his parents had died and he was now living with Randy, whose parents had moved away. It was a little over whelming to learn about eighteen years of your life in just three days, but he was pretty happy with who he must have been before he lost all his memories. He especially liked the Sherri part, she was always so loving and holding his hand or stroking his hair and telling him how much she loved him and had missed him even when they had seen each other hours before. They must have been dating for a long time for her to care about him so much. He hadn't been able to bring himself to tell her he loved her, or participate in her sweet talk; after all it was like he had just met the girl.

Randy suggested they take a drive then meet up with Cherry later at the double. They drove around for a little while and some of the streets and places looked familiar to him, but he tried not to get too worked up, he should know them, he had always lived there according to Randy. They saw a young man walking alone with his hands in is jeans pockets and his head held down.

"That's him!" Randy shouted and stopped, suddenly pointing his fore finger at the boy.

He jumped out of the car as fast as he could, but Bob beat him to the young man. Before Ponyboy could react Randy and Bob were hitting and kicking and punching every inch of him. Bob was cursing in an out of breath manner.

Pony was soon unconscious, and blood was coming from his nose and mouth.

"We better get out of here man, he has a lot of friends." Randy said pulling Bob by his shirt sleeve.

"I'm not scared, man." Bob said.

It felt good to get revenge on the guy who took away all of his memories, he wanted to take away from him and make his life miserable.


	10. Chapter 10

**Here is chapter 10. thanks for all the support.**

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Ponyboy lay there dazed, confused and bleeding. The young man who punched him first looked like Soda, he even sounded like Soda, but that couldn't have been his brother. Could it? What would make Soda hate him so much? He thought back to what could have happened to make Soda run away and hate him enough to jump him. Maybe it was a few days ago when Soda was moping around because of Sandy, and Pony told him to just move on because she was just a girl, and there were worse things to worry about. Or when he had complained about Soda's cooking. But he acted fine before he left. If he wasn't hurt so bad why hadn't he come home?

What was he saying during the beating anyway? And why was he with Randy? Pony thought that Randy and he understood each other. Things were much too confusing and hurtful, including his body. He cried, and he was still crying when he heard a familiar voice.

"Golly, what happened to you kid?" Two-Bit asked.

Pony tried to look up at him but the sun was bright, right in front of his face and his eyes were still wet, making Two-Bit's face a blur. He couldn't explain what had happened, he didn't know himself.

"Darry, man. Darry." He pleaded holding an arm tight against is sore stomach.

He could hear more than see the shock when Two-Bit said, "Darry did this? What did you do to piss him off now?"

He had misunderstood. Pony tried to shake his head but stopped quickly, it hurt.

"It was Soda, I think it was." Pony said through the blood in his mouth.

"He did it 'cause of Soda?" Two-Bit asked.

He couldn't explain this to Two-Bit, he needed Darry. Darry would know what was going on. After much rambling Two-Bit caught the idea to take him home.

Darry had just gotten home, he still had on a dirty shirt and he had the mail in his hand, bills.

"My God Pony, what did you get into this time? It looks like you've been hit by a train." Darry said as he quickly went to Pony's side to help Two-Bit cart him in the door and onto the couch.

Pony was hurting and sore all over but he was more confused, he half expected Darry to be ready with an explanation the moment he walked in the door, he hadn't expected questions. His face fell and he couldn't help but look at Darry in a way that was so hurt and questioning, it made Darry step back and stare at him.

"What happened Pony?" He asked again.

"Soda did it. Why Darry? Why did he do it? I don't understand." He answered the question with a question.

Darry didn't answer, he didn't know the answer. Soda did it? Why?

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**How did ya like that? I personally love Two-Bit in this one. Thanks for reading.**


	11. Chapter 11

**Sorry it took so long, but here is the next chapter.**

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Bob was high on adrenalin after beating up Ponyboy. It gave him a giddy feeling to know he had gotten revenge on the person who had taken away his whole life. He was excited to meet up with Cherry too. She had been beautiful the last time he had seen her and he was sure she would be the next time. He wasn't expecting what happened though.

Ponyboy had apparently told his buddies what had happened earlier. There was a group of four tough looking hoods waiting when Bob and Randy arrived at the drive in. It was three young men around the smaller Ponyboy.

"Sodapop Curtis! What did you do." It was the biggest guy who was standing in front that said this.

Bob didn't know what the mad man was talking about, or who he was talking to. He looked around like he would see someone wearing a sign. But he just saw Randy who was pale and looking uneasy. Randy's eyes were shifting between him and the big guy.

"Who are you yelling at man?" Bob asked.

He was sure if they were going to be there looking for a fight it would be with him, but this guy seemed to be talking to someone who didn't exist.

"I'm talkin' to you dumb-ass. Why'd you jump Pony man? What's wrong with you?" He said taking a few threating steps forward.

Bob wasn't scared no matter how confused he might be, and he took a step to meet the guy.

"I don't know who you are talking to, but if you are looking for the one who jump that punk you found him." Bob said getting ready for a fight.

One of the other boy's in a DX shirt stepped forward and grabbed the big guy's arm just before he swung.

"Wait Darry, something's wrong with him." The DX boy said to the other guy. "What's with you Soda?" He asked Bob.

Bob gave up trying to fight, and concentrated more on figuring out the confusion. Who were they calling 'Soda'? He turned and looked questioningly at Randy. Randy had gone from looking scared to looking triumphant and grinning.

"Look buddy, I don't know who you've mistaken me for, but my name is Bob. Bob Patrick Sheldon." He informed the group of crazies.

None of them spoke but looked at him in shock. The little one, Ponyboy, was the first to speak. He pushed past the other boys and unexpectedly threw his arms around Bob's waist and held on tight and sobbed into his shirt.

"Soda, I'm sorry. Whatever it was, I didn't mean it. Come home, I miss you." He sobbed out.

The little boy did look pitiful and Bob wanted to hug him back but he didn't understand what was going on, and he hated this boy for all the trouble he had caused. The big guy pried Ponyboy lose and drug him back.

"Come on baby, that's not who we thought it was. He's not our brother." The guy was saying as he was trying to lead Ponyboy away.

"That's right, Curtis, an eye for an eye!" Randy shouted as the boys walked away.

One of the boys tried to turn around and go back for Randy, but the other stopped him.

"What the hell was that all about man?" Bob asked Randy after the bizarre episode was all over.

Randy surged, "Never mind, I'll tell you later." He surged and patted Bob on the shoulder. "Let's go find Cherry and get this party started."

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**How did you like it? I don't feel this story is coming across 100% so if you have any advice for me I am all ears.**

**A/N: I think it is an interesting point that Bob drank a lot and Soda never drank at all. I think I might do something with that angle. **

**Thanks for reading.**


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12! I have to work tomorrow, but I will try to get another one wrote and maybe posted today, if it isn't up today it will be tomorrow afternoon.**

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Cherry was waiting for the boys in the seats near the front. The last time she had been here she met Ponyboy, Dallas and Johnny. She looked around like she was expecting to see them there now, but she wouldn't. Two of them were dead, they died much too young. So had Bob. It broke her heart clear through. But Randy had a plan to get Bob back, and to get even.

She felt guilty about how bad it would hurt Ponyboy and his brother, but her own selfishness pushed that feeling deep inside her. She had thought Soda Curtis was good looking before, and now he was Bob. The better part of Bob, she knew Soda would never lose his sweet, jolly disposition. He would always be the boy Pony admired at heart. Things were going to be ok; nothing bad was going to happen to Soda, he may even be saved from the draft. He could get out of Tulsa, things would be better for him living as Bob.

The two boys came and sat by her, Bob closest to her. He smiled at her so genuinely she couldn't help but return in. that was the first time he had kissed her. He brought his lips closer to hers and gently kissed her. He was still smiling a little and that made his lips tight against hers and a little awkward, but his lips were soft and as sweet as sugar. He kissed her right there in front of everyone. Some lady with gray hair sitting behind him mad and indigent gasp and Cherry giggled a little as she pulled back.

"You are avenged my lady." He said whispered sweetly when their faces were no longer touching.

"What?" She asked confused, she had no idea why she would need avenged.

He smiled so sweetly she didn't want to look away and he said, "I gave Ponyboy Curtis what was coming to him." He said and ran a finger down her cheek bone.

She was taken aback; Randy's plan to tare Ponyboy apart was already in effect. It hurt her a little bit to know that. But she forced a grateful smile anyway and he stole her lips again in a quick peck. She dreaded the next time she had to look at Pony in the hall at school. He was a nice boy, smart even. She liked him and she was sorry he was hurting for something she knew wasn't really his fault, but she knew she wouldn't stop it even if she could.

She had missed Bob, and Soda's kisses were even sweeter.

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**Thanks for reading.**


	13. Chapter 13

**Sorry, I lied. I didn't get a chance to post this until this morning, but here it is. better late than never right?**

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Ponyboy was distraught. I don't know if you have ever seen someone who was on the verge of having a break down, but he was a mess. He was all panic and screams on the inside, and as cold and silent as stone on the outside. Darry was at a loss, he couldn't properly worry about one brother for fear for the other one. Pony wouldn't move off the couch when they got home, he just sat and stared at the floor. When Darry's voice would break through enough to tell Pony to go to bed, or come to the table, he still didn't look up and he wouldn't eat. Darry had to keep the floor clean and the coffee table shoved against the wall to keep pony from falling. He wouldn't speak either; Darry had never noticed how much Pony did talk until he didn't anymore. His facial expression changed sometimes, occasionally he would look confused and his forehead would wrinkle like he was contemplating. Other times his face would contort in soundless anger, or he would cry without sound. But he never spoke.

Darry wished Soda would just come talk to his younger brother, he knew Pony would talk to Soda, but then if Soda would just come back, give any kind of explanation, Pony wouldn't be like this. For three days the only sign Pony showed of being human was once when Hank Williams came on the radio, he reach up and switched it off. Darry got his hopes up in vain.

"Don't like Hank Williams huh?" He asked hopefully.

But Pony didn't reply in anyway, he didn't even look at Darry. Pony's not existing was killing Darry. He missed Soda too. There was no laughter anymore. Why had soda gone away? What would make him come back? Or who? Darry knew that Soda loved him and Ponyboy, they were brothers, all they had, but if he wouldn't come back for them, them who would he come back for?

An idea donned on Darry, there was another person, not family, a friend. Someone Soda was closer to than even Steve. Sandy. It was worth a try. Soda was still in love with Sandy, and maybe all he needed was a good shock to bring him back, Sandy could be that. Could he convince her to help? He had to try; he was sure he could find that old letter and get her address.

Darry felt a small glimmer of hope. He would do anything to fix his brothers.

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**Right? How did you like that one? I have some really good stuff coming in the next to chapters. If you are as big of a Soda fan as I am, you will dig chapters 14&15!**


	14. Chapter 14

**Warning, this chapter gets explicit.**

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After that kiss three days ago things had taken off like a forest fire with Bob and Cherry. The three of them started back to Randy's house after the movie. Apparently Bob lived with Randy because his parents died a year earlier in a car crash, at least that was what Randy had said. On the way home Randy decided it seemed like a good idea to go to a party and get drunk, the idea didn't appeal to Bob and Cherry looked disgusted by the prospect, so Randy let them out and they went sprat ways.

This meant Bob and Cherry had all night alone. It wasn't hard to persuade Cherry to stay out later than she should. They found themselves in the park alone under the stars. Bob was leaned, half lying, against a tree and Cherry was against him whit his arm behind her and her head on his chest.

"You know Cherry, I'm thinking my life must be pretty good. I like having what I know about it, I wish I could remember more, especially about you, but we can make new memories right?" He said smiling and pulling her tighter against him.

You could tell fall was just ending, the night was still cool but the air was getting warmer and dryer. Bob's sweet words were making Cherry smile and she couldn't help running her hand up and down his torso.

Bob turned his face and kissed her, this time there was no interruption, and they had no reason to pull apart as they gracefully slid down until they were both on the ground tangled in a passionate kiss. Bob couldn't explain what he was feeling kissing the red head like that, he was aroused yes, but there was something more. He didn't know how, but he just knew he had felt it before. He hoped she was the girl who had caused it.

Her lips were fantastic sin; he couldn't get enough of the way they danced perfectly with his. He wanted more, and she didn't protest when he deepened the kiss. On the contrary, if the way her hands were rubbing forcefully against the skin under his shirt was any indication, she was as lust crazed as he was. It was true; she wanted Bob with urgent yearning. She needed there skin to touch as badly as he did. She was the first to try, probably because Bob was still trying to hang on to a fleeting bit of respect for her. She was way past respectfulness and approaching animalistic. She was opening his shirt in such frenzy that one of the buttons popped of and she didn't slacken the kiss.

Bob tangled his left hand in her hair while holding her face tight against his. Somewhere along the line the kiss had gone from being sweet and gentle, to a forceful need. His right hand went up her blouse and he moaned at the feeling of the forbidden skin under his palm. He no longer just wanted to be inside her and to see her creamy skin in all its glory, He needed it.

He quickly and skillfully stripped her of the blouse breaking the kiss at last but he returned his lips to her neck and the protrusion that was her collar bone. She moaned blissfully and threw her head back. The action caused and almost painful effect in his manhood. His mouth trailed down, across her breast and as far down as to the fabric of her skirt. He wasn't going to be stopped. He pulled the garment down never stealing his mouth. Just as smoothly he removed his on clothing and at last he stood on to his knees and got a good look at Cherry's face. She was writhing and panting before the deed had even begun.

Just as he slipped himself inside her, Cherry moaned breathily, "Kiss me."

Bob did, and he continued to Kiss her all though the act of lust. With every thrust, taste and every second, they were falling in love. For that one blissful incident he wasn't Bob, he was Soda with a tender heart and a loving disposition. Soda was falling in love with Cherry, and she was falling in love with him, the real him, not the lie. That's what made her realize sadly, she could never tell him the truth.

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**On yes, and there is something else good coming! I for one can't wait!**

**Thanks for reading.**


	15. Chapter 15

**Here is the newest installment. Enjoy!**

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Pony's life had come to a tragic, illogical, chaotic halt. He had never imagined finding Soda could be worse than not finding him, but it was. There was someone else occupying Soda's body, and that person hated Ponyboy. This strange entity called himself Bob Sheldon, Soda was now the ghost of Bob. How was it possible for Bob's ghost to come back, and take over Soda? The only part of that question he was sure of was that Randy had to me involved. Maybe Randy was into voodoo or something. It made no sense, that stuff wasn't real. But there was no denying Soda thought he was Bob and was out to get revenge on Ponyboy.

Thoughts. Ponyboy was literally, completely, lost in his thoughts. His mind was like quick sand, when he started thinking he couldn't stop and he was sinking farther and farther into his on head and he couldn't get out. He had heard Darry talk to him, but he was so far lost in his head he couldn't answer.

The words, 'God giveth, and God taketh away' played over and over in Pony's head. Maybe God thought what he and Johnny had done was too awful to wait for hell, and he was getting his on personal hell on earth. That's what it felt like. He hadn't wanted Bob dead; he hadn't even been the one to kill him. Was Johnny already in hell for it? The thought made Pony sick and angry. Johnny didn't deserve to be in hell, and neither did he. That night Darry had tuned on the radio, Pony knew he was worrying but he couldn't tell him to stop. Hank Williams came on with his wailing lonely voice and it sent cold chills up Pony's spine. It made him remember walking into bucks when he and Johnny were looking for Dally after they had killed Bob. He couldn't take the sound of the memory being so real, so he reached over and shut it off. Silence was best.

Life wasn't fair, Pony knew that, he had known it for a long time but this was just too extreme. Soda couldn't be a Soc that hated him, that wasn't right. Soda was the handsome Greaser; that was what he was meant to be; and Pony's brother. He was overwhelmed with thoughts and the pain came out in the form of hot wet tears rolling down his cheeks. He had held them back as long as he could, he didn't really want to cry in front of Darry, but he couldn't stop himself any longer. He had thought Randy was a good person like Cherry. Cherry…. A thought came to him. Cherry would know what was going on, Randy was her friend. She could help if she would.

It was time to fight the quick sand that was his mind; it was time to fight and escape and save Soda and himself.

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**Thanks for reading. I guess I was wrong about something really exciting happening in this chapter, but I felt this should come in between. Next chapter though I promise. **


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16, as I promised something interesting happens. Time for Cherry's big scene.**

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It was weird, Cherry just woke up that morning, and she was no longer in love with Bob. The strangest part was, she was absolutely, head over heels, undeniably in love with Soda. She wanted to get up and run to him, and tell him the truth and beg him to forgive her and love her anyway, but she wouldn't. She would just keep laying there in her sheets with the pain and smell that reminded her of him. She could smell him so well on her clothes that it was almost like him being there. She would breathe in deeply and hold her breath to hold on to his scent.

What she was doing was wrong and she had known it before, but that was when it was just some boy, not someone she loved. But she did love him and she knew if she told him the truth she would lose him forever. She couldn't go through that again. It was better to live a lie and love, than not to love at all right?

She pulled herself from the bed and away from the smell of Soda Curtis and gingerly got ready for school. She didn't like school now as much as she used to. She was alone there.

She was in the hall after 3rd period when her heart, stomach and world turned upside down.

"Cherry, you got a minute?" Ponyboy asked jogging to catch up with her.

She knew what he was going to say and she knew there was no way she could help him so she didn't stop walking to answer him.

"Not really, Pony. I'm running late." She said and even sped up a little.

His face fell, "It will only take a second," then he was so bold as to grab her shoulder so she had to stop and face him. "Do you know what is going on with Soda?"

She was surprised that he would be so forceful, but Soda was his brother and he loved him. It's shocking the things people will do for people they love, Cherry was no exception.

"Look Pony, I can't help you. I just can't. I'm sorry. Things change, people change. You just have to learn to live with it." She advised, now she loved Soda too and she was going to fight just as hard to keep Bob, as Pony was to get Soda back.

Ponyboy stared at her hard for a second, then with their eyes locked he said, "He's my brother Cherry, I need him.

She couldn't argue with that, "I'm sorry Ponyboy." She said and turned and walked away from him.

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**Thanks for reading, I will get another up as soon as I can. Hopefully it will be longer.**


	17. Chapter 17

Randy had been sitting back in the shadows watching his malevolent plan unfold. It was working, not quite feeling the hole in his heart Bob had left, but revenge was a pleasant feeling. He was getting back at everyone, some for no reason at all. Maybe he was even getting back at Cherry. She had always had things going for her, she was pretty and smart and Bob always liked her best. It served her right to be hurt.

At least that was what Randy thought in the beginning, but after watching her and Curtis for a few days, he was starting to doubt just how much she was hurting. She looked happy even. They were always touching and kissing and whispering to each other. It wasn't like he had saw her do with Bob either, it was much stronger. Now, Randy wasn't blind, he saw what was happening with the two of them. He didn't like it one bit, she wasn't supposed to actually fall in love with him, she was just supposed to act like it. That way if and when the truth came out, Soda would be hurt more. But it wasn't supposed to be turning out like this. Cherry was too good for him, he was a going-nowhere-fast greaser; she had a future, that is if she didn't screw it up with him.

Randy was jealous, he was more her type than Sodapop Curtis, he deserved her.

Maybe his plan wasn't working out as well as he'd hoped.

At least Ponyboy was hurting. He had seen that on his face that night at the drive-in, his older brother had just looked angry. But, oh well, Ponyboy was the main one he wanted to hurt anyway, everyone else was just a bonus. Plus, having someone around to fill Bob's vacant role was nice, it made things not seem as lonely. Randy noticed himself caring about the charming boy too, but it was caring biased from hate. He hated the greasers so much he was actually enjoying being friends with Soda. How did that happen? It was like he poured every ounce of his hate into all the kind acts he did for the boy, and it gave him a good feeling. How was that possible?


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18! I apologize for it being late, I hope to write two tomorrow to make up for it. I have spent two days collaborating with SimbaNF**; **we have come up with some pretty rad ideas for this fic. Events should start turning in the next few chapters.**

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Darry had been staring at that mostly blank sheet of writing paper for half an hour. He was trying to find just the right words to make Sandy understand that she had to come back and try to save Soda, for their sake if not for hers. As far as he had got was, _Dear Sandy. _ That was as far as he was going to get. _Dear Sandy, I know you don't love my brother anymore and you never liked me that well, but he has gone crazy and we need you to come back in the hope that seeing his betraying ex-girlfriend will snap him back to sanity. Love, Darry._ Yea that was sure to get her to help.

He still stared at it. There had to be something he could say to get her to help. But he couldn't think what it would be. _Dear Sandy, - _think Darry, there has to be a way to say this, she loved Soda too. Think. _Soda is in trouble I think you can help. Please write at your earliest convince. Darry._ It was a very short letter. But that was all he knew to say. He sealed up the envelope and stamped and took it to the mail box right away.

He went out just in time to see Ponyboy coming near the house, school books in hand and a long face.

"Hey Pony, bad day?" Darry asked conversationally.

It was a long shot, Pony still didn't talk much, more than he had in the first three days since Soda had… changed, but he didn't talk much to begin with. Pony stopped and looked at him; he had been crying that was plain from the red eyes. He didn't say anything just looked at Darry in that small childish way.

"Cherry won't help." He finally said quietly looking back down.

Darry wouldn't admit it but he had hoped she would, he hadn't expected it, but he had hoped. Personally he didn't have much faith in the Socs as a race, but he had thought from all the help she had given before with the rumble, she was different. Apparently she wasn't. Now he had more than ever riding on Sandy's reply. How was it that the only hope they saw for his brother came in the form of pretty girls? Soda had to learn to control his hormones!

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**Thanks for reading, hope you liked it. Please review.**


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19! I thought it was time to take a look at Soda's thoughts. I need to do more of that I think. If there is someone you feel like I am neglecting, please tell me and I will do a chapter from their point of view.**

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I think we should go back to our protagonist. Soda may not be able to remember much of his previous life, but he was sure he must be happier than he had ever been in his life. His heart was always light because of the mysterious feeling Cherry gave him. He was in love with her. He was ready to marry her tomorrow. But he knew there was no way she would put her exciting life on hold to marry him. He was afraid she might have more potential than him. Her life may take off at lightning speed, and he may be left behind. It was a scary thought, even going a day without her; he couldn't live his whole life without her. She made him feel so loved though, that he felt like she would marry him, and be as happy as he would be.

He smiled a lot more. And then there was his best friend Randy. He and Randy got along like a burning house. Randy was always up for anything, and he had Bob's back. They were real buddies. Randy had been so welcoming, letting Bob stay with him after his parents died. Randy's parent weren't around either. They had left Randy well supported, but left him none the less. It was just him against the world, but Bob would always have his back. Bob was more satisfied than he knew was possible. He was completely and utterly content.

Still at night though, when he lay down in his bed he felt lonely, like there should be someone else there with him. But that was ridicules, he was a grown man, but maybe it was just him missing Cherry, but it felt different. He also found himself waking up extremely early for no reason; it was just what his body told him to do. He couldn't think of any reason for it, he was just use to it and didn't know why. Another thing was there were no pictures of him, anywhere. Randy had explained it by saying there had been a fire in which Bob lost everything. All of Bob's clothes were too big, not by a lot, but they were roomy. Maybe Bob had lost some wait after his parents' car accident and the house fire that seemed like the kind of thing that would really stress Bob out.

Sure life was weird when you couldn't remember any of your life until a week previous, but Bob had a good life, he was happy.

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**Thanks for reading, please leave me a review of what or who you would like to see next.**


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20! I felt like Steve was being a little left out being Soda's best friend and all.**

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Steve and Two-Bit weren't immune to the sadness everyone else was feeling. They missed Soda too, but they were more angry at the Socs, particularly Randy and Cherry, than anything. They already hated them for the unfair circumstances they existed in, and they held the Socs personally responsible for the loss of Johnny and Dallas. Even if the Bob/Johnny/Dallas thing hadn't been anyone's fault, what gave them the right to take Soda away too? He was the only one really holding normal together and now with him gone everyone had to cope with life the best they could. Pony became even more withdrawn, Steve was less able to control his temper, Two-Bit drank more than ever just to make it through the day and night, Darry was changing in a way no one could really put their finger on, he was less like Darry and more like a moody stone.

Yea, Steve was angry, angry at his dad for the way he treated him, angry at his mom for letting it go on, angry at society for making his family this way, angry at the Socs for having it so good and not appreciating it, even angry at Soda for leaving. He had been the only one holding Steve's world together, he was the one who could take Steve's mind off of it or explain it all away. But now he was just gone. He had switched sides, he was a trader. He hoped Soda was enjoying it, because if Steve ever met him in a dark alley there was no way of knowing if he would be able to exercise enough self-control to keep from killing the young man who used to be his best friend.

That thought in itself made Steve sick to his stomach, how could he want to kill Soda when they had been best friends since forever. This wasn't Soda's fault, it was Randy's, and Steve didn't need a dark alley to take care of Randy, he could do it in the light of day. He would. He made one of those rash decisions to teach Randy a lesson. It was usually those kinds of decisions that got Steve in trouble, but usually Soda was right by his side, partners in crime they were.

But that was then, now he was alone. He could fix that. He was a tough boy and determined. He would take Soda back if he had to, by force.

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**Thanks for reading, I appreciate it.**


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21, I think everybody is in for a surprise with this one.**

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Sandy still hadn't written back. Darry was coming to the end of his rope. He didn't know how to save Soda, or Ponyboy for that matter. His family was falling apart and all he could do was read the evening paper and try to act normal as best he could. He found his mind foolishly believing, if he stuck it out, just gritted his teeth and took it, Soda would come back and everything would go back to normal. He knew deep down this wasn't true but it was all he could do.

In the paper he was reading he saw a powerful black and white ad. There was a severe looking man with a top hat pointing his finger at Darry's face, with the words 'I WANT YOU' printed in big letters across the bottom. The ad hit Darry somewhere deep. He had been terrified that Soda would be drafted, but now maybe that he was living as Bob, he would be spared. He didn't have to worry about that aspect of Soda's life now. In reality there were other things Darry didn't have to worry about. Soda didn't have to work anymore; he was living in a very nice house, on the good side of town with money. Soda was having a good life, much better than what Darry could provide for him. Therefore Darry was useless.

The ad was talking directly to Darry. There was still one place he could be of use, and that would give him a purpose; the army! He wasn't doing Pony any good. He couldn't comfort the child and he couldn't give him what he wanted, Soda. He wasn't doing his youngest brother any good. He put food on the table, and made him do his homework, but still Pony was growing thinner and his grades were slipping. He was failing as a guardian, as a brother, and as a man. Pony didn't need him; he could do just as well on his own. Soda had found a new and better home, maybe it would be a good idea if Pony did too.

For the first time ever Darry entertained the thought that his brothers might be better off without him, in a boy's home. Pony might end up with someone really great, he might go on to college, and God knows what Darry would do for that opportunity himself. But the army would give him a sense of purpose again. The thought made strength find him again. He smiled to himself looking at the severe looking man, the army was the answer. Darry would make a good soldier.

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**Thanks for reading my story. I hope you were supprised. That was one of the intersting things ****SimbaNF** came up with. I hope ypu enjoyed it.


	22. Chapter 22

Steve was still working out the finer details of his plan for a violent payback; but there was still one person who could show him a good time, even with Soda gone. He had just picked Evie up and she was sitting in the passenger seat with her legs stretched out so that her feet were in his lap as he was driving and she was applying more lipstick to her already bright red lips. Evie was naturally beautiful, that was one thing that attracted Steve to her so much. Even at her very worst she could still give the other boy's girls a run for their money. But boy when she really tried she was an eleven! She had light skin and a flawless face and jet black curls that she kept pinned back so they fell even with her shoulders. She was always in a happy mood and smiling, she was a lot like Soda in that way. And she was crazy about him. He loved her too, in a take it or leave it kind of way. But she was good company and there were certain sinful perks to having a girl of you own.

"So what do you want to do tonight baby?" Steve asked looking from the road to Evie.

She shrugged and laid her head back lazily, stretching her arm behind her. She was stretching her body out making her small curves and thin form parade for Steve's benefit. His eyes slowly trailed up and down her stretched out body. She knew what she was doing and so did Steve. He knew what was under that dress, and he eyed her lustfully.

"Oh, it's of no matter to me. Whatever you pick." She said indifferently.

Steve knew what that meant, she was too much of a lady to give him an outright invitation to her lovely body, but he knew her well enough to know when she was going in that general direction.

"The ravine it is." Steve said with a sly grin.

That was where all the kids went Socs and greasers alike needed a place to hide their sin. There was never any telling who would be there. Many a fight had broken out there, but Steve had loving on his mind instead of fighting.

That would all change when he would see a certain blue mustang…

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**Thanks for reading. I am leaving you guys with a cliff hanger for the next few .**


	23. Chapter 23

It was a rare Saturday when Darry was off work. He had been thinking a lot about the ad in the paper, he was half wondering how he was going to tell Ponyboy, and half way trying to talk himself out of going to the recruiting office. The only thing he had really done was circle the ad and write 'you have me' in very sloppy script in a blank spot.

He and pony were sitting in the living room, both reading and trying to ignore the awkward silence between them. Things just seemed to get awkward when the middle man, the peace maker, is taken away. Darry was thinking how he and Pony probably would have killed each other if it wasn't for Soda, at least he knew from experience they wouldn't talk. Just then Pony broke the silence in a violent rage. It was like everything he had kept bottled up exploded and Darry was the target.

"What's this Darry? When were you going to tell me?" Pony said angrily standing in front of his older brother shaking the newspaper with the ad, and then he wadded it up and threw it in Darry's face.

"Pony-" Darry tried but he brother went on drowning out Darry's words.

"Are you just going to run off? You were the one who said we can't stop just because we lose someone. Now you're the one wimping out. Sodapop's your brother too, you have to stay and help. You were supposed to keep us together; I thought you were a man Darry. You think you can just go over there and get shot and end all your problems and get called a hero for it? Well I hope you do. Good luck. If you go I hope you don't come back. What would dad say if he knew you pussyed out?" That's where Ponyboy's rant was cut short by the back of Darry's hand.

Darry didn't mean to hit him, and the instant he did, he recalled the last time he had and the mayhem it had caused. If he wasn't mistaken Soda had been the cause of that too. Just like last time Darry fought speechlessness trying to apologize, but Pony ran out before Darry could stop him.

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**Thanks for reading? How do you like that little twist? I think this fic is going good places. **


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24!**

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Randy was idly watching a western on TV while Soda was "helping" Cherry with her homework for the day. Randy became quickly board of the TV show and the giggles coming from the kitchen table. It was a Saturday evening and he figured if nothing else, he could call up Marcia and they could go to a movie and he could pressure her into going to the ravine. It always worked; Marcia wasn't easy so much as Randy was just a very smooth talker. It got him in trouble a lot, but it got him out of it a lot too.

He picked her up and they skipped the movie and settled for a burger. Marcia was interested to hear the details of what was going on with Soda. This annoyed Randy but he told her about the thing anyway.

"So he doesn't remember anything at all?" She asked innocently and comically wide eyed.

"Not a thing. He thinks he's Bob. He hates his brother. It's the perfect payback." Randy bragged munching on a fry.

Marcia contemplated for a minute, "Don't you think that is maybe a little extreme? I mean what happened to Bob was an accident, you said so yourself. Ponyboy wasn't even the one who did it." Marcia said disagreeing.

This annoyed Randy greatly. "You think it's right? They murdered Bob and no one paid for it, that wasn't right. And no one else is going to do anything about it, I will. And since when are you on first name bases with that trash?" He asked sharply.

Marcia looked down at her food and picked at it for a minute but did not answer.

"Never mind baby," Randy said regaining control of himself. "You want to go for a drive?" He asked.

Marcia didn't really want to say yes but she couldn't think of a good enough excuse for saying no, she nodded.

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**Thanks for reading, hope you are enjoying the fic.**


	25. Chapter 25

**Number 25!**

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It was perfectly normal for Bob and Cherry to be practically intertwined, lips locked, hands roaming in a make-out session when they were alone on a Saturday night, and what's just what they were doing on the couch. Short breathy speech of affection was coming from both of them anytime their respective lips had room to form words. They loved each other.

"Soda." Cherry breather out as soon as Bob's lips traveled onto her neck.

She realized her mistake the second it was past her lips and too far gone to recall. She gasped a little like she could breathe the word back in. Bob stopped kissing her neck and looked up at her smiling and perplexed.

"What?" He asked with a laugh.

It was a charming expression Cherry thought. But she had to do some quick thinking to explain.

"I want a soda, I'm terribly thirsty. Mind if we go to town?" She thought she did a pretty god job back tracking.

Bob nodded and they went to the little gas station across from the recruiting office. Cherry had gone in and came out with two bottles of coke. She sat there drinking the pop quietly for a few minutes when something, someone, caught Bob's eye and gave him mixed feelings of curiosity, sadness and anger. It was Ponyboy Curtis' older brother, the big guy from that night at the drive in, walking into the recruiting office. Cherry had spotted him at the same time and put her hand on Bob's knee.

"Let it go Bob, it's not worth it." She coaxed.

This new Bob did something wonderful the old Bob never would have considered; he obeyed. He got a creased expression on his face and looked a little troubled, but beyond that he didn't react to his enemy.

"Have you ever watched a sunset Bob?" Cherry asked gazing at him.

At that moment, she could see Ponyboy's curiosity and Darry's determination etched onto Soda's handsome face. Darry still had his attention, but Cherry's question had broken through and was sinking.

"What?" He asked confused.

"Do you want to go to the ravine, to watch the sunset I mean? It's the best place in town; you can see the stars real well there too."

Bob smiled, Soda was coming through strong at that moment, and Cherry loved to see it.

"Sure." He said in a humoring way.

Cherry smiled and leaned over to kiss him quickly before she speeded away. She knew she had to tell him the truth and she had no other option.

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**Oh goody, things are coming together! :) Time for the big show down! Do you think Cherry will be able to tell Sodapop the truth amidst Steve and Randy meeting at the ravine? And do you think 'Bob' is seeing any connection between Darry and Cherry both calling him Soda? Who's side is Marcia really on? O I can't wait to see what is going to happen next!**


	26. Chapter 26

**The meeting of Randy and Steve! I don't know why but I really felt sorry for Steve in this fic. Bless his heart. Evie too.**

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Evie was always a willing participant for Steve's shameless lust. She had loved him since eighth grade. It sounded cliché but he really was her best friend. She knew him like a book, cover to cover and she could see their whole life laid out in front of them. They would walk down that road hand in hand, because that was what was meant to be.

Steve had just turned off the engine, and Evie could see his eyes clouding in that way. She leaned over to get things started with quick, wet, encouraging kisses. Unexpectedly Steve put his hands on her waist and instead of pulling her close; he pushed her away and stared hard at something else. Evie followed his gaze in confusion. It was a blue mustang, and she knew from stories who owned it. That cloudy look in his eyes wasn't want, it was hate. It scared her to realize. His eyes didn't waver as he opened his door slowly, like a wild animal stalking prey.

"Steve. Don't, I'm scared. Steve!" Evie begged, but her words fell on stone deaf ears.

Steve creped soundlessly to the driver door of the mustang, the windows were fogged over. In contrast to his walk, he yanked the door open quickly and in the same movement he jerked the Soc off the half-naked girl under him, and slung him to the ground.

Randy was dazed, his pants were open and his clothes were otherwise disheveled. He looked drunk sitting on the ground like that, but when he realized it was a greaser who had pulled him out of his car his expression changed to one of cold heartless rage, it was a look that would have struck fear in any man besides Steve when he was so determined. The same second Randy realized who he was looking at Steve's boot landed hard across Randy's face.

The half-dressed girl let out a scream as she was crawling out of the car while trying to cover herself. Evie was still calling to him, and a few guys had gotten out of their cars to watch the fight. Some were cheering for Randy, and some for Steve. But Steve didn't hear any of it, and neither did Randy in his state.

There was no reason for Steve to stop, he finally had someone to release his anger on, and he wasn't going to hold back. He let Randy have another kick to the chest, knocking all of the air out of his victim. Then he jumped on to Randy's torso and let him have it with his fist. Blow after blow his mind made checks of all the things Steve was hitting him for. For the car he drove, for the half dressed, screaming girl, for Soda, for Dally, for Johnny, for all the times a Soc had tried to jump him, for the things his father said, for how unfair life was. He didn't even realize when Randy stopped fighting back, he kept swinging. For Soda, for the job he worked, for the job Randy didn't have, for no reason at all, because he was finally doing something, he kept hitting him.

But then he stopped, not because he wanted to but because a handsome young man with golden hair and brown eyes tackled him knocking him off Randy. It was Soda. In his rage Steve didn't realize why exactly Soda, his best friend, made him stop, maybe it was because Steve was getting carried away and Soda didn't want him to be responsible for killing a Soc like poor Johnny had been. But no, that wasn't it. Soda had stopped the beating because Randy was his buddy, and he didn't know Steve, but he hated him anyway.

Steve was on his feet in an instant and Bob was ready for the fight. Steve went to tackle him, but Bob met him with a fist to the jaw knocking Steve backwards but not quite off his feet.

Steve remembered playing around with Soda before, his name might have changed but his fighting style hadn't. It was hard for Steve to get his punches in between the blows Bob was giving him, but a quick double tap to Sodas face and he fell like a sack of bricks.

It was over.

Steve looked around at the mayhem. There were spectators staring quietly, shocked at the two boys on the ground and the one standing, bleeding, over them. The dark haired girl was still standing by the mustang and she was sobbing quietly but not looking at all like you would expect. Cherry, the red head who Steve had met once before was rushing to Soda's unconscious body, she was mad and her hate radiated over Steve. He looked back, unable to help the apologetic look on his bloody, bruised, swollen face when he looked at Evie standing quietly by his car, looking as loyal as a puppy.

"You." Steve snarled as he looked back down at Cherry.

He reached down and began to hoist Soda up, but Cherry tried to beat him off with her fist. It was a hopeless endeavor, and with Steve still as mad at he was, dangerous.

Steve pushed her off of Soda easily and threw the boy over his shoulder. It could have been the adrenalin, but he felt lighter than he had before. For some reason he glanced around at the girl by the mustang and their eyes met.

He quickly turned his gaze back to Cherry, "You tell that pig if he wants him, he's gonna have to come get him." Steve said in a voice so full of hate, that it made Cherry wince.

Cherry moved closer to Randy trying to wake him while still cautiously gazing after Steve. He was putting his former best friend in the backseat, then he looked back at Marcia and she looked at him with a pleading look that Cherry didn't understand. Then with Evie riding shotgun, Steve raced away.

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**Thanks for reading, I hope you like it.**


	27. Chapter 27

Right after Ponyboy got mad and ran out of the house pouting, Darry did the same. He wasn't fifteen but he felt exactly the same way Pony did. He wanted to run away too. The difference was, Darry had some where he could actually run to. He decided to drive though. He ran to the door, hopped in his truck and sped away, burning rubber as he did. He drove like a mad man all the way to the south side of town. He noticed the yards and buildings looking nicer as he drove and for some reason it irritated him more than ever. This was Soda's new life now.

Darry parked his truck at the curb next to the recruiting office and ran to the door just in time to see a middle age man in uniform getting ready to leave. Darry jerked the door open and barely caught his breath.

"Can I help you son?" The man asked sounding a little concerned.

Darry thought it must look a little weird, a guy running into the recruiting office when so many others were trying to beat the draft. That made him remember Soda, God he hoped Soda didn't become a soldier.

"Yes, sir, I want to join the army, what do I have to do?" Darry asked quickly

The man indeed looked surprised.

"Come right here and sit down son." The man said.

Darry wished the man would quit calling him 'son' that made him think of his father, and with what Ponyboy had said earlier, well he just didn't want to do that. Darry made his way to the desk and the man pulled a stack of papers from a drawer and sat across from him.

"Is there any reason you are looking to join right away? Are you in trouble with the law? Do you have an unexpected family circumstance?" The man asked picking up his pen.

Darry knew the man probably meant, 'did you knock your girl up?' not, 'did your brother suddenly go crazy and tear your family apart?', but the latter was what he heard.

So Darry lied, "No, sir. I just thought it was time for me to be a man and serve my country."

The man smiled and started the rest of the interview. It took much longer than he expected, there was a lot to joining the army. It was well after dark when Darry was finally headed for home, if he had known what was waiting for him there would he have drove faster, or not went at all?

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**Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed it.**


	28. Chapter 28

**Chapter 28, the reunion!**

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Ponyboy knew he had deserved it, he shouldn't have said exactly what he said to Darry, but it was true. No it wasn't. He knew Darry didn't have any more control in the situation than he did, and he didn't really want him to get shot in war. He had just lost Sodapop and he didn't want to lose Darry too. He loved both his brothers, just Soda a little more. He wished the moment he broke for the door that he would stay and talk to Darry, but he knew himself better. He wanted Johnny to run to. Johnny would run away with him, he remembered the last time he had that thought. Johnny had ran away with him, that's why Johnny wasn't there now to run to, Dallas either. The thought caught Pony like a knife through the heart. No Johnny, no Dally, no Soda, no Darry… who was left? No one.

He wasn't running anywhere; he had nowhere to run to. He was running down the middle of the street, that never was a big deal, their street wasn't exactly the busiest in town. But headlights were speeding toward him, Pony gave thought to not moving, just letting the car hit him. Darry was taking the easy way out, why couldn't he?

But the driver of the car took the option away from him. The car screeched to a stop and the door opened suddenly. Pony winced in anger when he saw that it was Steve. He knew he was about to be yelled at for playing in the street, but he wasn't expecting to be roughly gabbed by the arm and shoved nearly inside the car.

"What do you think you are doing?" Pony asked angrily.

He saw Steve's face and it scared him, it was discolored and bruised. Steve looked angrier than Pony had ever seen him. He had the look Dallas sometimes got. The dangerous one.

"Get in the car." Steve said angrily pushing him again.

Pony reluctantly did. That was when he noticed a limp body in the backseat. Pony's first thought was that Steve had finally gone too far and killed someone. Pony wondered if he was next. It was another moment before he realized the body was his brother. Steve was already back in the car and speeding away. Evie looked terrified and kept looking from the back seat to Steve, speechless.

Pony quickly scooped his brother's head into his lap and tried to wipe the blood away. Pony hated seeing Soda like that even though that wasn't the first time.

"Steve, what happened?" Pony asked quietly.

He was half scared and completely confused. How had Soda ended up in the back seat of Steve's car? And why did he look like he had just been hit by a train?

"I got him back didn't I?" Steve snapped.

Pony's question had apparently given Evie courage.

"Steve where are you going to take him?" She asked.

"I don't know." Steve said in a tight, stressed voice.

He sounded like he was going to explode at any minute.

"He will wake up soon, then what?" Evie protested.

She had gone too far.

"I said I don't know. Now both of you shut the hell up and let me think!" Steve shouted angrily.

After half an hour of Steve driving around in circles and no one speaking, they pulled into the Curtis' driveway and Soda was just coming to as Pony and Steve carried him in the font door.

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**Thanks for reading, I hope you liked it.**


	29. Chapter 29

**29, this one is kind of short but I thought it was important to play out this scene.**

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Cherry was shaking Randy, Marcia had come to his side too. Randy didn't rouse to Marcia's soft words through tears, but Cherry was much more forceful, and affective.

"Wake up you worth less sack of trash!" Cherry shouted and slapped Randy's check repetitively.

His eyes fluttered open and he didn't move except his eyes scanning his view.

"What happened?" He asked confusedly as he put a hand over the most bruised side of his face.

"What happened? You got your as kicked and lost Soda. That's what happened. The question is, what are you going to do about it?" Cherry said, her rumored attitude was coming out full force.

Randy looked dazed and surprised at her mini speech. Marcia looked shocked, and for some reason personally offended.

"You're in on this too? What did Soda Curtis ever do to you?" Marcia asked Cherry.

"Marcia this is just not you problem, stay out of it." Cherry said to her, then turned he attention back to Randy. "What are you going to do about this?"

"I don't know why you care so much; he's going to hate you after they tell him the truth. He's not Bob, Cherry." Randy said venomously.

Cherry looked indigent. Her eyes became misty and she was speechless. She slapped Randy, not to wake him up this time but out of sheer anger, then she walked quickly to her car and tore off leaving Randy and Marcia on the ground and staring after her.

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**Thanks for reading.**


	30. Chapter 30

**chapter 30- Part 1! This was so great I had to do it in two parts lol.**

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Darry was dreading going home and having to explain his childish beaver to Ponyboy, and inevitably having to apologize, so he drove home slowly, postponing it. But his curiosity was engaged when he saw Steve's car in the drive way so he sped up. He parked the truck and walked up the steps. He tried to turn the nob but the door was locked. It was a bit annoying having to knock at you own house when the door is never locked to begin with. Darry knocked furiously, his annoyance showing through. He could hear raised voices in side. That made him even more curious.

Pony finally opened the door but stood dumbly blocking Darry's way, and he only had the door open enough to make his face visible.

"Darry-" Ponyboy said like his brother was the last person he expected to see, and maybe he was after the way Darry had acted.

"Are you going to let me in Pony, or aint it my house too?" Darry asked smartly.

Pony didn't answer right away; instead he turned to look over his shoulder at somebody, presumably Steve. Darry knew they were up to something. Maybe Pony had called Steve so the two of them could throw Darry out of his own house.

"Let me in Pony." Darry said pushing at the door while his little brother was distracted.

They must be up to something pretty awful because Pony pushed back on the door with all his might and kept Darry from coming in. This pushed Darry too far, he was about to fly into Pony when Steve suddenly appeared over Pony's shoulder and smiled in a very non-Steve-like way.

"Can I talk to you Darry?" He asked and added, "Outside." Very pointedly. Without a reply he squeezed out the door without allowing a view inside.

"What the hell is going on in there Steve? Why can't I come in? Did Pony call you?" Darry asked with confused thoughts running about in his head.

Steve took a deep breath and looked down at the boards on the porch, "Look Darry, it's about Soda…"

"Soda?" Darry asked excitedly. "What about him? What did you do?"

Steve looked at him angrily. Why did people always think he "did something"? Sometimes he was completely innocent, even if he wasn't this time.

"I brought him back." Steve said very blankly, so blankly in fact it almost scared Darry.

Darry shoved past Steve and was inside the door before he could be stopped. Evie was sitting on the couch looking terrified, chewing her thumb nail and red eyed. Pony was sitting in a kitchen chair by the love seat holding a bloody and bruised hand. It was Soda's hand he was holding. Soda was lying on the sofa with a battered and discolored face. Steve had come quietly in behind him and Darry turned on him immediately.

"What did you do? Why does he look like he's been hit by a train?" Darry asked angrily pushing Steve back a step.

Lucky for Darry, Steve's mood had changed drastically. He had gone from crazy mad to incredibly calm. He didn't fight back with Darry. He just gazed at Sodapop with a sorry expression and looked as if he might actually cry. He wouldn't of course.

Steve answered solemnly, "I brought him back Darry. He might be roughed up a little, but he's better hurt and the Soda we knew, than not hurt and a stranger."

Darry digested this. Selfishly, he thought Steve was right. Sure Soda had a nice life as a Soc but he was a stranger. Darry would have rather had Soda living as a poor greaser, and being his brother again. Darry looked back at Soda. He looked peaceful in a way, and the sofa looked so much more normal with Soda sleeping on it. It was a minute before he could take control of his thoughts and feelings enough to call for action.

"Pony, go get a cool rag, wash his face. Steve, help me get his shoes. Evie, go get the aspirin out of the cabinet, and a glass of water." Darry demanded, he sounded liked a drill Sargent but every one took action at once.

Drill Sargent, the thought reminded Darry of where he had just been and what he had just done. Why had he done it? It had been such a stupid thing to do, but it was too late now to change his mind. Soda was back and Pony would be back to normal, everything would be. Not everything, Darry was going to Nam. He had asked for rush deployment, how much time did he have with his brothers? A day? Two? Maybe a week? Surly not more than that.

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**Part two will be up later tonight hopefully. I haven't forgotten this fic I've just been busy and took a case of writers block. I hope to get caught up on it very soon. Thanks for reading, I hope you liked it.**


	31. Chapter 31

**part 2!**

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Sanity started to wash over him and pried his eyes unwillingly open. He was lying on a sofa in a messy room. There was a young teenage boy holding his hand and washing his face gently. The kid couldn't have been much younger than himself. There was another young man with a hard determined face staring down at him. He looked intimidating. There was a girl with black curls sitting on the other couch across the room. She would have been beautiful but she was a mess at the moment, he could tell she had been crying. There was yet another boy about his age standing beside her. That boy recalled memory to his blank mind. There had been a fight. He had gotten his ass kicked. But why had they been fighting? Randy. He had tried to keep Randy from getting jumped but he had been no match for this mad man. It was like he was a mind reader and blocked everything he threw at him. But that was because they had played around a lot as kids, they had grown up together, Steve was his best friend. So why had he been defending Randy? Wasn't Randy his best friend too? Things were coming back to him.

Going to get ice cream for Pony, Randy jumping him at the drug store. Waking up at Randy's, the story Randy told him. Jumping Ponyboy for, for… what? Cherry. Her beautiful skin and lips on his. That crazy feeling of over whelming love he had for her. The same feeling he felt in the past for a girl with light hair. The pain when the light haired girl was gone. Seeing Dallas shot down in the park. His and Johnny's funeral. His parent's funeral. The cop knocking on the door in the middle of the night to tell them the bad news.

So what was the truth? Who was he? Was he Soda or Bob?

He looked around the room and he realized he had missed them, all of them, but he was scared too. And he was angry that they had let all this happen to him. He remembered working so much he had to quit school just to keep things going in the house. He remembered sleepless nights when Pony was away, even crying. He remembered Darry yelling at Pony and him having to step in the middle of it too often. Didn't they owe him something?

He sat up slowly with his head spinning, no one said anything to him, and they just stared at him like some kind of freak. He couldn't say anything either. Pony latched onto him in a tight hug and Soda could tell he was crying and smiling at the same time. He hugged him back, but only for a minute. He was over whelmed. He pushed the smaller boy away with some difficulty and bolted for the door the best he could with unsteady feet. He ran as fast as he could. Things were spinning around him but he couldn't make himself stop. He had to go… somewhere. There had to be someone with all the answers, someone had to be able to make this all make sense.

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**Thanks for reading.**

**P.S. I have this great idea for a oneshot that I would really like someone to write. I will trade. Message me if you're interested.**


	32. Chapter 32

**Here is chapter 32! sorry for the mix up, I thought I already posted this one, but they are in the right order now.**

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Soda had just started coming to. Everyone in the room held their breath. Soda's eyes opened just a crack and Darry stood over him witnessing the miracle that was Sodapop. Pony was still holding his hand so tight his knuckles were turning white. The air in the room was so tight you could cut it with a knife. The anticipation and excitement was so thick it could be felt in the air, so was the fear. What if Soda still didn't know who they were? What if he still hated them all? What was he going to do? It was like having a mad bull in a corner. What were they going to do with him now?

Soda's brown eyes opened up and he gazed at all their faces slowly in turn. Pony's, Darry's, Evie's, then he stopped on Steve and turned white a as a ghost. His face contorted and his eyes glazed over the way they did when he was lost in his own head. It wasn't often Soda looked like that. The expression didn't fit his charming and usually happy face.

He sat up and looked at nothing, no one. Pony threw his arms around Soda, glad to have him home. For a moment Soda held him too. To Pony that moment could have lasted ten thousand years and he would be content. For that moment with his arms around Soda, and Soda's arms around him the world stopped, everything bad in the world was wiped away. Pony didn't feel like everything was so topsy-turvy. He wasn't mad at Darry, he didn't miss Soda, and he wasn't picturing his dead friends. He felt like his world had come back to him and he was back on his feet.

But the embrace didn't last more than a moment. He pushed his younger brother away, and like a shot Soda was out the door leaving everyone to stunned to stop him.

Pony reclaimed his balance and stared at the door lifelessly. He wheeled around and glared daggers at Darry. Darry saw what was coming.

"Pony-" Darry said quietly.

He hadn't wanted any of this to happen, and it wasn't his fault. He hadn't told Soda to leave; he hadn't said one word to him. But like always Pony had found a way to blame Superman.

"Why didn't you stop him? Go after him! He's your brother too, you have to make him come back. Darry do something, anything! Please, Darry make him come back." Pony yelled; his words were almost imperceptible through sobs and the pounding of his fist on Darry's chest.

Steve slumped down silently on the couch next to Evie who was crying again.

Darry didn't speak. He took Pony's wrist in his hands and held him at bay. It wasn't hard for him to overpower Pony, but it was hard for him to speak. Even Webster didn't have words for a moment like this; lucky for Darry he had an expression to suffice more than words ever could. It was a hard, cold, threatening look. He had that look the night of the rumble. He didn't always mean it the way people took it, it was just the look he had when all his walls were up and he was completely helpless behind them. He remembered having it a lot right after his parents died. It was that look that told the social workers he was man enough to take care of two teenage brothers. It was the look that took care of him.

Instantly with that look Pony stopped fighting back and Darry loosened his grip. Pony sank dejectedly onto the couch and pulled his knees up to bury his face in and bawled like a baby. Darry looked at him like he had the thought of comforting him, but changed his mind and turned away and headed to his bed room leaving the teens in a sad, stunned silence.

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**Thanks for reading. I hope you enjoyed it.**


	33. Chapter 33

**I am sorry, I know I put this chapter up as 32 erlier, but there should have been one in between 31 and this one. I have now fixed it as of 11:00PM 02-21-2014**

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Randy was mad. His plan had worked to an extent, but he didn't like how it had ended. More than anything else, he was embarrassed. He didn't like that one bit. There was only one solution: humiliating payback! He had a thought that would perfectly answer the call. It was a sick and twisted thing to do, but it was humiliating for sure!

Marcia had driven him back to her house; her parents were out of town. That was something they had in common, lousy parents. She hadn't spoken one word to him since they had gotten in the car. She was just staring at the wall with a mix of deep thought, and anger on her face. It was really pissing him off.

Marcia thought the wall looked interesting. The little colors that reminded her of her chipped childhood, the day her father left, turning into a Soc, the day she was told he was never coming back, the jumping at the park, and now Randy acting like a crazed maniac, turning into an adult. Anything and 'anywhere' was better than looking at Randy right now, he was a monster. Soda Curtis was a nice boy, and this whole 'payback' thing was getting ridiculous. Randy wasn't naturally mean, a little wild and immature, but not mean and crazy. This was the product of losing Bob. Bob had been his best friend for years, and with his death, Randy's eyes had took on a dark shadow.

"Babe, come here would you?" He said trying to scoot closer to her, but because of the amount of alcohol she breathed down, she pushed him away.

"What's the matter with you?" He asked with an angry intoxicated stare.

"I don't like you when you're drunk. You know that." She said quietly. "You're acting crazy. Revenge isn't going to do any good."

He chuckled, then said, "You just don't get it. This isn't about revenge. It's about justice. Justice for Bob! If Johnny Cade hadn't stabbed him-" He gave her a crazed look. "Are you going to tell?"

"Randy, this isn't you. You're not a killer! If you do this, then that's who you are! I don't know you anymore. I just don't know anymore." She sighed and got up.

She was pacing around the bedroom looking down at the floor as she walked.

"Everything is so messed up. First Bob, and now here you are: High and Mighty Randy acting the hero. You can't do a thing to bring him back!" She glared.

Randy shot up and blocked her path. He looked at her with so much hate, it made she gasped in fear.

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**Thanks for reading. please be sure to read the UPDATED chapter 32.**


	34. Chapter 34

**Here is chapter 34. If you guys like this chapter you should really check out my new one, Dustland Fairytale. I would appreciate it.**

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Cherry had been driving for about three hours. She didn't realize that with each pointless circle she made, she was getting farther north. The street sign that said 12th street told her she was turning on to the Curtis's road. She had only been as far as the vacant lot, when she was helping the greasers before the rumble, but she knew they lived down this street. She wasn't sure witch house was theirs so she slowed her normally fast driving to an incredibly slow pace, and tried to peer in each window she past. She didn't know what she would see. Maybe Soda would be sitting on his front porch with his brothers. If he was, maybe he would flag her down to profess his undying love to her, or maybe he would start throwing rocks at her car. Maybe she would see him through the kitchen window and the three boys would be sitting at the table laughing about the whole mess; at her even. She didn't know what she would do if she did see him, she didn't even know if she was hoping to see him or not to see him. She had slowed down until she was barely moving; she had her head turned to spy in the lit window of a particularly rundown looking house. It was no use though. She only saw a very dark, complicated man with a bottle she knew to be a whiskey bottle in his hand, yelling at a woman, who looked to be yelling back. Just as the man raised his hand to strike the woman, she was looking on in such intense astonishment, she had completely stopped paying attention to the road in front of her. There was a loud slapping sound on the glass of the window by her head. She heard a muffled shout that startled her so badly she slammed on the brakes and veered her car hard right. Her red sports car mounted the curb and slammed to a stop just has her front bumper pressed against a yard fence. She looked over to see what had made the troublesome ruckus to see a badly beaten and bruised, but still handsome, face. She didn't have to look for Soda anymore, he had found her. She could tell it was Soda who had found her and not Bob, by the completely devastated look of his face. She remembered seeing that look on Johnny's face. It was an innocent, un-understanding pleading look of a little child. She wanted to cup his face in her hands and tell him everything was ok, but Cherry knew that even she couldn't lie that well.

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**Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed it. I really like writing chapters like this, without a lot of dialog. This one just seemed to write itself, all I had to do was hold my fingers to the keys.**

**A/N: The man and woman fighting are meant to be Johnny's parents. I don't know, I guess I was just thinking about him tonight and that's why Cherry was.**


	35. Chapter 35

**Chapter 35.**

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Marcia woke early. She didn't sleep much that night so to say she woke up was really just a way of saying she got out of bed and got dressed. Her eyes were red and swollen from crying and her cheek had a bruise from Randy's hand. But after she showered and applied a heavy layer of make-up, she looked well enough. She remembered what Randy had said, and what she had said to him. She didn't want to tell on him, but he had to be stopped before something awful happened.

She knew Steve was Soda's friend, she had seen them both at the DX where they worked. She was as guilty as every other girl in town of going to the DX to stare at Soda. It was a thrill, especially to Soc girls, to go to the north side of town to gawk at the handsome greaser they all new to be a bit of a wild child. Maybe Soda would be at the DX too. Either way, she had to go to warn Steve that something terrible was going to happen. She had to apologize, not so much for herself but for Randy and she had to plead on his behalf. After all, there was still a part of her that loved him.

Randy had taken his car when he left the night before, so Marcia had to walk to the DX. It was the longest walk Marcia had ever taken in her life, it took about two and a half hours to get there, and it was all she could do to keep the tears pushed deep down inside her. When she got there it wasn't the man she expected who greeted her; it was a familiar face, Two-Bit.

"Hey Marcia. How's it goin'?" He asked grinning at her and stepping away from the raised car hood.

"Hi Two-Bit. I'm looking for Steve, is he around?" She said smiling back at him.

It was only when she stopped walking when she realized how much her feet hurt and how tired she really was.

"Steve? What you lookin' for that hood for?" Two-Bit asked a bit perplexed.

Marcia looked down at her feet to see if they were really on fire or not. She couldn't explain the events to Two-Bit, that would take all day, maybe two.

"I just need to talk to him. Is he around?" She asked again looking back up at him.

Just then she heard Steve's voice as he stepped from where he had been behind the car hood, "You found me. What do you want?"

She was a little stunned. She had known exactly what she was going to say until he was standing in front of her inquiring. He was intimidating. She just stared at him for a few moments opened mouthed, trying to form words she could not voice.

"Well?" He prompted.

Two-Bit was looking puzzled between the two of them.

"It's about what happened last night." She said quietly

"What?" it was a muffled question from Two-Bit who was looking comical with his eye brows scrunched up like that.

"Shut up." Steve snapped to Two-Bit who quickly closed his mouth. "What about it?" He asked Marcia.

"I just- I just came to say that Randy normally isn't like this. Its Bobs dyeing that has made him so crazy. He's normally really sensible and sweet. But he is just a little off his rocker right now." She said shifting her weight repeatedly; it was hard for her to say.

Steve gazed at her hard for a long moment, then snarled, "What are you getting at?"

"Just- I don't know. Don't kill him alright? He's going to be looking for a fight now."

Steve interrupted her, "He's done got the fight, he don't gotta look hard for it."

That sentence made her blood grow cold. She knew Steve meant Randy had started the fight when he kidnapped Soda, but she knew it was about to get worse and everyone was going to be dragged into it.

"He's planning something. I don't know what, but it's something awful. So be ready alright." She warned giving up pleading for Randy's safety.

Steve reacted quickly. His right hand went out and closed around her throat and he turned her to press her back against the car. Her hands went up automatically to claw his hand away, but against his iron grip it was no use. Two-Bit's eyes got big and he made a movement like he was going to help Marcia, but stopped himself and just looked dumbfounded at Steve.

"So what, he's lookin' for a fight so he sent his little bitch down here to threaten us?" Steve asked through clenched teeth.

Marcia tried to speak but lacked enough air, so she just shook her head.

"Ease up man." Two-Bit said gently laying his hand on Steve's outstretched arm.

Steve took heed, his eyes relaxed a little and he looked surprised about what he was doing. He released Marcia's neck and looked down at the ground. Marcia started to cry from fear, then she lost it and she began to cry because of all the things she had bottled up, while she was looking at her feet. Steve looked uncomfortable and glanced back at Two-Bit, who was motionless, then looked back down at Evie.

"Now, don't do that. Shh." He soothed and rubbed a hand over her haywire hair. "I'm sorry, I just lost it for a second. I wouldn't really hurt you." He said trying to comfort her.

It must have worked because still without looking up at him she threw her arms around his waist and sobbed in to his chest. Steve wasn't use to this, not even from Evie, and he didn't know exactly what he should do. He patted her awkwardly on the shoulder. In less than 24 hours two people had put their hands on Marcia, first Randy and now Steve. At least Steve had more of an excuse. There was just something about him that told Marcia he was the one who could take care of this whole mess. He was a source of strength, and that's what she needed at the moment: strength.

Steve looked questioningly back at Two-Bit, but he wasn't helpful. He looked mad and jealous.

"Come on Marcia, I'll take you home." Two-Bit said pulling her away from Steve.

She let him sit her in the passenger seat while Steve slammed the hood. Then Two-Bit got in and sped away with her.

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**Thank you for reading.**


	36. Chapter 36

**Here is chapter 36. I can't believe there are only 14 more chapters to go, I have enjoyed writing this fic more than I expected. It seems like this is just who these characters are now, it's coming so naturally.**

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The early morning sun was braking through the night, and Soda was gone again. Pony was sitting on the couch, Steve and Evie had finally left, they hadn't said anything. No one had. Darry hadn't come out of his room; Pony knew it was getting close to time for him to go to work. He wondered if he should knock on the bedroom door, but he decided against it. The look Darry gave him last night was still looking him right in the face, and it terrified him to his very marrow. He had often thought Darry hated him, but never in his life did he think Darry would direct that look toward him. Darry really was gone, the man might be a few rooms away, but his brother was gone. No brother should look at another like that. He hadn't moved all night and his knees had gone from stiff and asleep to just plain numb. He didn't want to move, he wished he could have just died, rather than face another day with Soda gone.

Darry on the other hand was lying on his bed, he hadn't had a wink of sleep all night and the new day was approaching. It didn't feel like a new day, it felt like the same old nightmare that had started a month ago, only worse. He was once again glad about his decision to join the Army. He was eager to get out of here and away from the failure that was his life. Why had he gotten his hopes up so high when he saw Soda lying on the sofa? He had thought things were going to go back to the way they were suppose be. Soda was going to wake up and smile, and hug them and go right back to being his little brother, and Pony's idol. He was going to be Sodapop again, not Bob. But that's not what had happened, he had run away and they didn't know if he was Soda or Bob anymore. And why did Pony always blame him? He wasn't really Superman; his big arms didn't mean he controlled everything. How was he supposed to save Soda? Why did Pony think he could? He felt like he had failed Ponyboy in some unfathomable way. He was always letting the youngster down. He lost his temper too much, and when he did it always seemed to be pointed at Ponyboy. He didn't mean it that way, it just always seemed to be Pony who added the straw that broke the camel's back, or Superman's back in this case.

Darry had absolutely no desire to move, so what if he got fired, he was leaving soon anyway. And maybe he wouldn't come back

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**Thank you for reading. I apologize about the wait between chapters.**


	37. Chapter 37

**I was missing Dally a little bit today, I guess it kinda shows in this one, but I love him so oh well. Here's chapter 37!**

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It was this nasty and particularly empty day when Darry was hiding from the world and Pony was trying to will himself to disappear, when the most unexpected person showed up.

It all started with a knock on the door. Pony looked at the door for a moment, like he was angry at the door personally for allowing a sound to interrupt his self-pity. He had been lost deep in reminiscing. He missed Dallas, he really did. Where was Dally at when you really needed him? He had wimped out on life and ended it, he was dead, that's where he was. The first time Dally ever backed down from anything, and he was just gone.

If Dallas was here, he could fix this. That's what Pony was thinking. Darry obviously wasn't going to do anything about it, he couldn't, he didn't have the guts, but Dallas would have. He didn't know what he'd do exactly, but he figured it would be something along the lines of busting right in Randy's front door, beating the tar out of him and bring Soda back kicking and screaming if he had to. After that Dallas would probably knock since right back into Soda too, maybe even Darry too for not doing anything. But then again, he might just brush it off and not care at all. That was the thing about Dallas Winston; his hate made him unpredictable. Pony missed him, Johnny too. At least if Johnny was there he would have someone, at this point he had no one at all. His brothers were both nonexistent, his parents where gone, his best friend was six feet under. If it had been Johnny in Soda's place there would be no doubt about what Dallas would do. He would march right in there and take him back. But then Johnny was everybody's favorite, did that mean the rest of the gang didn't care as much about Soda? At least Steve had tried to do something; that was more than Darry did. But Pony still thought if Dally was around he would find a way to fix this.

The knock sounded again, this time it pulled Pony back into the real world. He sighed heavily and stood, but by the time he was up and his legs were stable enough to take him to the door, Darry was half way across the living room headed for the door. He glanced at Pony for just a moment and their eyes locked. Pony realized then that Darry had no more of an idea of what to do or say than he did. But there was someone at the door, hopefully it wasn't the state people, whoever it was Pony was going to be glad for the distraction.

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**Thank you for reading. I hope that last bit gets you curious about who is at the door and knocking at the Curtis house where the door is always unlocked. Please tell me who you think it is or should be, I would love to know.**


	38. Chapter 38

**Here is chapter 38.**

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Steve was still at the DX piddling around trying to find something to occupy his frenzied mind when Two-Bit came tearing back into the parking lot. He always drove crazy like that, but it was evident he was heated about something.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Two-Bit shouted angrily as he jumped out of his car and slammed the door.

"What are you talking about man?" Steve asked even though he had a pretty good idea what the yelling was all about.

Two-Bit was furious and Steve could tell. He was never scared of Two-Bit, even when he was mad, but with everything else being so screwed up the last thing he needed was Two-Bit throwing a temper tantrum and losing his cool on him.

"You know what! Marcia is a good girl and you put your hands on her, even after all that all she talked about was you. I know it don't bother you to rough up a girl, but it bothers me. She's not like us Steve, she's a Soc! And what about Evie?" Two-Bit ranted.

What about Evie? What did that mean? Steve knew Two-Bit and the rest of the gang, except maybe Dally, had views on hitting women, but Steve figured if they deserved it as much as a man why not? But bringing Evie into it was just uncalled for, he had never hit her. He realized something that annoyed him right then, he didn't like other guys talking about his girl.

"What about Evie?"

Two-Bit stepped the distance between them, "Nothin' man, just stay away from Marcia." Two-Bit said as he shoved Steve.

That had taken it too far. He hadn't asked Marcia to come, and she had hugged him, not the other way around. On top of that, Steve wasn't going to stand for being pushed by anyone; he didn't even take that from his old man. This one act made it official; the gang was falling apart at the seams.

The fight was on between Steve and Two-Bit.

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**Thanks for reading.**


	39. Chapter 39

**39, enjoy.**

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Sandy had received the letter two weeks ago, and she didn't know what to do with it. She had sat down countless times to write Darry back, to tell him she would help or to tell him to go to hell, her reply varied with the time of day and her mood. She had read the letter until the ink was faded; she had cried and cursed over it. She had given serious thought to just burning it. She was hundreds of miles away with a baby on the way; the baby wasn't even Soda's. The dilemma had agonized her. Her grandmother had even begun to notice. Darry had been very vague, not going beyond saying something was going on with Soda, and they needed her help. Really, she doubted there would be anything she could do even if she wrote back and agreed to help. She doubted Soda wanted her help anyway; she had done him wrong, bad. She knew she had broken a good man's heart by being young and dumb and promiscuous.

She wondered what the reckless boy had gotten himself into now. She remembered the way he was before, before she found out about the baby that wasn't his, before Ponyboy and Johnny killed that Soc. They use to plan their future together and Soda always had big, perfect plans for everything, he really did have a good imagination. The thought made her smile to herself. To hear Soda planning their life was like listening to him tell a fantastic fairytale with themselves as the main characters. She missed the man he used to be, he always made her smile and feel loved with his happy-go-lucky charm, but he was also a man who knew the score. He was man enough to take care of her even at sixteen. She knew he would have, she remembered how he had wanted to marry her anyway, even after she told him she had been unfaithful; he hadn't cared who's the baby was, he wanted both of them and she knew he meant it. That thought felt like a knife in her heart; maybe she had made the wrong decision all those months ago, now it was too late. Her stomach was growing as was the distance between her and the boy she had once loved. Soda was the only boy she had ever loved, and maybe the only one she ever would. She couldn't image loving the father of her child, it had been just one night, a rare night when she and Soda had a fight and he was being long headed, she had a moment of weakness when she found herself in another man's arms. The next day Soda took responsibility for the whole argument, and apologized and told her how much he loved her and all he would do not to lose her, which was what he always did on the rare occasions they fought. She forgave him instantly but didn't have the guts to own up to her own mistake. Little did she know it was already too late. Call her a bad mother, but as much as she was already coming to love the child inside her, she would have done anything to take back that one night and have Soda back as her's. There was nothing she wouldn't have done to change that; but she knew it was impossible so she just had to move on. She had been doing a good job of that, not necessarily forgetting the golden haired boy, but accepting her situation.

Now she found herself standing at the Curtis's front door waiting, waiting for what she didn't know. Maybe Soda was on the other side of it, maybe it would be Darry with his cold hard face accusing her of being a slut and ruining his brother's life, maybe it would be Pony, with the look of helplessness he always wore and rarely managed to hide. She didn't know what she was about to see, but she knew she was in the right place, she had missed this house and all the time she had spent there in her younger days.

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**Thanks for reading, please review.**


	40. Chapter 40

**I have started 'That Was Then This Is Now' by S.E. Hinton, its really great.**

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Soda was now sitting in the passenger seat of Cherry's car. His head was still swimming and his bare feet were blistered from his run from his house, or what use to be his house. He didn't know what to say to her or why he had flagged her down. He just knew he was running away from everything and when he saw her car it was like a light house, a miracle. He had been looking for someone to help, someone with all the answers. Cherry may not have all the answers he wanted, but she was someone who could ease his mind. That didn't make since either, hadn't she been one of those who had lied to him and added to this whole mess? But when he saw her car he realized there was still part of his heart that loved her. He loved her in the kind of way that it didn't matter his she loved him or Bob, he loved her and that was enough. He wanted to be close to her, so he found himself in her semi wrecked car, sitting on a curb exchanging a strange expression with her.

It was a long moment before either of them could find words but at last she broke the silent.

"Soda, I'm-"

What she was, probably sorry, was lost to infinity; for Soda gave her a crazed, angrily look; like he would like nothing better than to strangle the life out of her, but also so calm and personally offended, that it broke her heart.

"So I'm Soda now huh?" He said after a moment of silence.

He covered his face with his hands and laughed into them gazing straight ahead. Cherry couldn't reply. She felt guilty about the part she had plaid. She realized then, that this was part of Randy's plain all along; he had known when Soda finally found out the inescapable truth, he would be distorted from the inside out. But had Randy know the effect it would have on her? There was no use in apologizing, what she had done was too big for that. She thought about just laying her hand on his leg, to reassure him. But what would she be reassuring him of? Nothing good, a long and awful lie that had torn his family apart and that was currently tarring him apart, so she reframed and just stared at him.

Soda removed his hands from his face and turned to face Cherry when he started to speak, "Ya know, it's all startin' to add up now. No pictures of me, the clothes being too big, knowin' I couldn't have ever got you but you being there anyway, them not fighting back at the drive-in, Pony huggin' me the way he did. He's just a kid Cherry, what happened to Bob wasn't his fault, and we already paid for it with Johnny and Dallas. You remember them? That wild trouble makin' hood, and Johnny, the quiet one who wouldn't hurt a dog if he could help it! Do you remember them? I do, now." As he added the last part he put his hand over his eyes again in a frustrated way and faced the window.

Cherry started to tear up, and she couldn't look at him anymore, he was right, she looked down. There was nothing she could say to defend herself, there was no way she could justify what she had done. She felt her heart breaking though, she wanted to ball, but she knew she had no right to so she sucked it up and stayed silent.

"Was anything you said ever the truth Cherry?" Soda asked seriously looking back at her.

His eyes were wet too; at least he had a good reason. She let tears fall silently and looked at him apologetically before she could speak.

"Yes, I meant it from the bottom of my heart, I love you Soda." She said, her crying was starting to get the better of her before she finished.

Soda did kind of a double take when she said his name, his real name. The name she had said only hours before when they were kissing on Randy's couch. He opened the car door and turned to step out. He felt better, lighter, after his rant. Cherry tried to stop him from leaving by grabbing his arm, but Soda pushed her away.

"Not now Cherry." He said, then got out and walked away.

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**Thanks for reading.**


	41. Chapter 41

**I am sorry about the long wait, but here is chapter 31**

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Things were falling apart, things just weren't right, the gang was falling apart and even Two-Bit hated it. He and Steve had always gotten along, they were like brothers, they all were, but now he didn't want to be around any of them. Pony was depressing, Darry was too hostile and for some reason he couldn't call anything but jealousy, a part of him hated Steve.

He had liked Marcia as soon as he had met her that night at the double, then it had been Randy who stood in his was and he understood and accepted that, Randy was better than him. But Steve was just as low as he was, so why was he now the one in his way? It wasn't so much that he was head over heels for Marcia or that she was just the perfect girl for him to be with, it was just that Steve, his supposed to be friend, was standing in his way. That really pissed him off, when had he ever done anything like that to Steve, or anyone else for that matter? He wondered what it would be like if Soda were here. Always before Soda could smooth things over for everyone. Two-Bit supposed that Soda had gotten so much practice at home and he was so use to it, it just came naturally for him to do it with everyone.

Two-Bit didn't think even Soda could straighten out this mess though, too much had happened and too much had been said, they had all just grown apart having to cope with the same thing alone. He wondered what would have happened if Soda had come back and been just like he was before. He was sorry he had missed Soda's return; it would have been nice to have just sat in the same room with him. He wished someone would have even bothered to tell him about it; that was one thing that had him so hacked off at Steve at the moment. As it was he had to hear about it from Marcia and she glorified Steve with every detail. You would have thought Steve burst in with guns blazing. He knew that wasn't what had happened.

Two-Bit decided it was best if he just stayed away for a while, so he started driving his car and even though he passed the DX a couple of times and even his own house, he didn't stop.

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**Thanks for reading, please review. It helps me to know the fic is still being enjoyed, and I really appreciate it. Only nine more chapters to go, what would you like to see next?**


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